BCL-2 AND IAP Proteins As Potential Drug Targets

. Members of the Bcl-2 and IAP families of proteins inhibit apoptosis and are overexpressed in many cancers. Thus, small molecules that bind to these proteins and block their anti-apoptotic activity may induce cell death and be useful for the treatment of cancer. To aid in the design of these small molecules that bind to these proteins, we have determined the three-dimensional structures of Bcl-2 and IAP family members alone and when complexed to inhibitors (1-6).